BUCYRUS - Kurt Fankhouser has vowed to force a recount of ballots after unofficial results show him losing the Bucyrus City Council president race by 23 votes.

As of Thursday, incumbent president Garnet "Sis" Love was still the apparent winner, leading Fankhouser 1,117 votes to 1,094 votes.

There could be more votes added, though, according to Ruth Leuthold, director of the Crawford County Board of Elections. Nearly 100 provisional ballots will be sorted through and counted when the board of elections has its official count Nov. 21.

"If it all went his way, it might change it," Leuthold said of Fankhouser's race.

Even if the official count still shows him losing after Nov. 21, Fankhouser said it's his duty to pay to have every vote in the city counted again.

“The citizens of Bucyrus desperately want change in their local government at the top — it's obviously apparent by how close this vote was," Fankhouser said. "My generation will have to pay the most for bad legislation that is passed today. Thirty years from now, I dont want to look back and say we could have done more for the citizens of Bucyrus today.”

Fankhouser also thinks at least two of the other city council races might change after the provisional ballots are counted.

"Also, there could be automatic recounts triggered," Fankhouser said.

For an automatic recount, Leuthold said the difference must be no greater than one half of one percent.

"We have had it, but it is uncommon," Leuthold said.

During her career, Leuthold said she's only seen one race overturned after a recount.

Fankhouser said he is ready to pay whatever it costs to have the votes counted again should an automatic recount not be triggered. Leuthold said a $60 deposit is required for every precinct that is counted again — there are nine precincts involved with Fankhouser's race.

Based on how many hours it takes to count the votes and what other resources are needed, the actual price of the recount won't be known until after the counting is complete, Leuthold said.

"There’s a complicated formula for what we can charge after we’re done," Leuthold said. "If he’s paid too much, we would refund him."